SaaS Vendor Security Assessment Checklist
This SaaS vendor security assessment checklist ensures compliance with SOC 2 Type II trust service criteria, ISO 27001:2022 supplier relationship controls (A.5.19-A.5.22), CSA STAR cloud security requirements, and NIST SP 800-53 third-party controls. Designed for IT security analysts and vendor risk managers to evaluate cloud vendor security posture before contract execution. Complete all sections for each SaaS vendor.
- Industry: Telecommunications & IT
- Frequency: Annually
- Estimated Time: 2-3 hours
- Role: IT Security Analyst / Vendor Risk Manager
- Total Items: 30
- Compliance: SOC 2 Type II Trust Services Criteria, ISO 27001:2022 A.5.19-A.5.22 Supplier Security, CSA STAR Cloud Security Alliance, NIST SP 800-53 SA-9 Third-Party Security, SIG Questionnaire (Shared Assessments)
Compliance Certifications
Verify vendor holds required security certifications.
- SOC 2 Type II report available and current (< 12 months)?
- ISO 27001:2022 certification current?
- CSA STAR registration or certification obtained?
- Annual penetration test completed by independent firm?
- Vulnerability management program documented?
Data Security Controls
Data handling, encryption, and access controls.
- Data encrypted at rest (AES-256 or equivalent)?
- Data encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2+)?
- Data residency location confirmed and contractually bound?
- Multi-tenant data isolation confirmed?
- Data deletion/return process defined at contract termination?
Access and Identity Management
User access and identity security controls.
- Multi-factor authentication supported and enforced?
- SSO/SAML 2.0 integration supported?
- Role-based access control (RBAC) available?
- Vendor admin access to customer data restricted and logged?
- Privileged access management (PAM) controls in place?
Incident Response and Breach Notification
Vendor incident response capabilities and notification obligations.
- Incident response plan documented and tested?
- Breach notification SLA contractually defined (< 72 hours)?
- Historical security incidents disclosed?
- Uptime SLA defined and meets requirements (>= 99.9%)?
- Public status page available for monitoring?
Business Continuity and Resilience
Vendor DR and business continuity capabilities.
- Disaster recovery plan documented?
- DR tested annually with results available?
- RTO/RPO commitments contractually defined?
- Geographic redundancy implemented?
- List of sub-processors/sub-contractors available?
Contractual and Legal Compliance
Contract terms and regulatory compliance verification.
- Data Processing Agreement (DPA) signed?
- Audit rights included in contract?
- Right to cure/termination for security breach included?
- Cyber liability insurance verified?
- Overall Vendor Risk Rating
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Why Use This SaaS Vendor Security Assessment Checklist?
This saas vendor security assessment checklist helps telecommunications & it teams maintain compliance and operational excellence. Designed for it security analyst / vendor risk manager professionals, this checklist covers 30 critical inspection points across 6 sections. Recommended frequency: annually.
Ensures compliance with SOC 2 Type II Trust Services Criteria, ISO 27001:2022 A.5.19-A.5.22 Supplier Security, CSA STAR Cloud Security Alliance, NIST SP 800-53 SA-9 Third-Party Security, SIG Questionnaire (Shared Assessments). Regulatory-aligned for audit readiness and inspection documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the SaaS Vendor Security Assessment Checklist cover?
This checklist covers 30 inspection items across 6 sections: Compliance Certifications, Data Security Controls, Access and Identity Management, Incident Response and Breach Notification, Business Continuity and Resilience, Contractual and Legal Compliance. It is designed for telecommunications & it operations and compliance.
How often should this checklist be completed?
This checklist should be completed annually. Each completion takes approximately 2-3 hours.
Who should use this SaaS Vendor Security Assessment Checklist?
This checklist is designed for IT Security Analyst / Vendor Risk Manager professionals in the telecommunications & it industry. It can be used for self-assessments, team audits, and regulatory compliance documentation.
Can I download this checklist as a PDF?
Yes, this checklist is available as a free PDF download. You can also use it digitally in the POPProbe mobile app for real-time data capture, photo documentation, and automatic reporting.